When I seriously confront execution, I suddenly realize that execution is the devil, as the English saying goes, 'The devil is in the details.' Why do I say this? Because people, as the carriers of execution, are too thoughtful and diverse, and without care, they can diverge wildly, producing results that are laughable.
I often ask trainees in execution training classes: How many steps does it take to put an elephant in a refrigerator? Everyone says it's impossible; how can an elephant fit in a refrigerator? Similar situations are common in enterprises. When a task is assigned, supervisors hear many negative voices saying it can't be done. The story of the elephant dates back to the Eastern Han Dynasty. Cao Cao wanted to weigh an elephant, and his officials debated endlessly, some saying it was impossible, some suggesting cutting the elephant into pieces, others proposing a giant scale... Finally, Cao Zhi said, 'Drive the elephant onto a boat, mark the waterline, then load stones onto the same boat until it reaches the mark, then weigh the stones separately, and you'll get the elephant's weight.' Everyone marveled, confirming the old saying: 'In marketing and planning, there are always more solutions than difficulties.'
So-called execution must be goal-oriented, with the ultimate result being the completion of the set goal. Now we ask: How many steps to put an elephant in a refrigerator? As an executor, what you need to answer is: How many steps! Song Dandan smiled and said: Putting an elephant in a refrigerator takes three steps. First, open the refrigerator door; second, put the elephant in; third, close the door. This is a classic execution problem. The goal is clear: put the elephant in the refrigerator. The workflow is clear: open, insert, close. But why are there so many dissenting voices in practice? The problem lies with the 'elephant.' No one has ever put an elephant in a refrigerator; it's unfamiliar to the executor, so they have doubts: the elephant is too big to push, the refrigerator is too small to fit, and so on. Doubts are good; they show the executor is thinking. What are they thinking about? How to do it. After all, not everyone is Cao Zhi. When facing this seemingly impossible task, executors need managers to teach them how to do it, to what standard.
A saying goes: 'Everyone is open to change, but everyone resists being changed.' When traditional thinking is challenged, should we align our fixed mindsets with the corporate environment to achieve harmony with heaven, earth, people, and self? At this point, team strength is unified in ideology, goals, and action. To achieve this strength, we must grasp the twenty-four character mantra for winning execution: Identify with culture, unify concepts, clarify goals, detail plans, strengthen execution, and strictly assess.
Identify with Culture This means identifying with the corporate culture and mastering the good working methods, principles, and beliefs accumulated over time. In short, it's about identifying with the sum of all spiritual and material wealth in the company's development, with emphasis on spiritual wealth. The various corporate cultures in China today are essentially boss culture. Do you identify with your boss? Are you willing to dedicate your youth to his ideals and pursuits? This is the first step to ensuring execution. Remember: To make employees identify with your ideals, involve them, and build their future within your vision. A friend of mine, when running his business, often told employees: 'I have a dream: to realize your dreams!'
Unify Concepts This addresses worldview and value orientation. If a team's values are not unified, cohesion is impossible. The ancients said: 'Birds of a feather flock together.' For example: The boss of Manhattan (a regional fitness center) said, 'Our philosophy is to cultivate a healthy lifestyle for people here, allowing them to experience genuine, value-for-money health experiences.' But some employees said, 'I agree with this philosophy, but we shouldn't sell memberships before the experience center is fully operational; I think it's unethical. We haven't provided detailed health knowledge or comprehensive fitness schedules for these prospective members. Many customers may buy impulsively, but few will stick with it. Selling memberships prematurely is an ineffective consumption for customers, as the saying goes, 'Corruption and waste are great crimes.' When such employees exist, execution is hard to achieve. So unifying values is the second step to ensuring execution. Remember: Make your employees share your values, make them key in your workflow, and they will take pride in the company and execute with confidence and joy.
Clarify Goals This means clarifying where we are going. The goal should follow the SMART principle: specific, measurable, challenging, realistic, and time-bound. Goals are the driving force for team and executor development. Without goals, people sink into apathy; without goals, companies are eliminated in the market. Clear goals are the direction for execution and the traction for progress. I used to work on the 18th floor. I thought climbing the stairs daily would be good for my health. So I climbed in the morning. The first day, I was breathless, my heart pounding, because I tried to do it all at once. With my 160-pound weight, it was like carrying a fat sheep; reaching the 18th floor calmly was very hard. The second time, I broke the big goal into smaller ones. I divided the 18 floors into four stages: the first was six floors, the next three were four floors each. I followed the floor signs and progressed gradually. It was much easier, and I wasn't much later. Remember: Make every employee know what they need to do, and clearly tell them what they'll get if they do it, and what it means to the team if they don't. Hold employees accountable; otherwise, the position is unnecessary.
Detail Plans Detailing plans solves the problem of how to reach the goal. A fable: During hunting season, a hunter's gunshots scatter the forest animals. A fleeing rabbit sees an old rabbit walking slowly. Respecting the elder, the young rabbit says, 'Uncle Rabbit, why aren't you running? The hunter is coming to kill us!' The old rabbit looks at him with fatherly eyes. 'Child, don't panic. The hunter is here to kill animals. You just need to become a tree by the roadside, and the hunter won't hurt you.' Like a wake-up call, the young rabbit thinks, 'Right! Hunters don't shoot trees, but... Uncle Rabbit, how can I become a tree?' But the old rabbit has vanished, and Liu Qian (a magician) is not around. But how can the young rabbit become a tree? The gunshots grow closer... After following the SMART principle, the goal is feasible, and it must be matched with an implementation plan. In our marketing plans, we present a strategy, but once confirmed, we must have a detailed execution plan. Not everyone in a team is as capable as Sun Wukong, so team skills need to be designed, improved, practiced, and trained, with training focused on practice rather than theory. Remember: Execution is achieved through action, and the process must have standards and norms. When you ask subordinates to do something, first ask yourself: Does this task have execution standards and norms? Ensure employees do the right things and do them right.
Strengthen Execution This means forcing yourself to do it. If thoughts are right, values unified, goals clear, and plans systematic, but you don't act, everything is zero. I once checked the dictionary: execution is the degree of implementation. How much of the plan have you executed? Have you met the standards? These determine whether you achieve your goals. People don't do what you hope; they do what you inspect. So during execution, we must assume executors won't follow your requirements. We need to establish an inspection system using tools like goal statement forms, work plan achievement tables, monthly performance assessment forms, and process quality control tables to supervise. Remember: China never lacks great thinkers, but it lacks down-to-earth implementers. If you want strong executing subordinates, require them to follow established processes and standards in every detail.
Strict Assessment This is the year-end review. Who to reward or punish, promote or demote? There is justice in the world; effort yields returns, especially for those who follow set goals and processes and meet standards. Enterprises must uphold the 'three public' principles: openness, fairness, and justice. Emphasize: Assessment standards must be unified; you can't reward Zhang San for the same performance and punish Li Si, or your diligent employees will feel disheartened. Remember: A system without assessment is just decoration. Leaders, do you choose morality to discipline employees, or systems to assess them? For business owners, paying attention to every detail is itself a test of your execution. Execution is not about being difficult. When we habitually focus on every detail and emphasize standards, we find that the devil in the details also has an angelic side. Remember this twenty-four character mantra, and practice it. You'll find that under the logical guidance of 'Identify with culture, unify concepts, clarify goals, detail plans, strengthen execution, and strictly assess,' your work becomes more streamlined, refined, and precise.